Santaland Diaries

Flashpoint Theatre Company finally opens its season with its traditional holiday staging of The Santaland Diaries. Originally a radio essay by humorist David Sedaris and adapted for the stage by the brilliant playwright Joe Mantello, the solo play recalls Sedaris’ early days working as an elf at Macy’s. Displaying the same sardonic wit that propelled the humorist’s bestselling novels Barrel Fever and Naked, Santaland focuses on the poor, haggard Macy’s elf trying to remain in a celebratory mood while contending with packs of horrified kids, absurdly overbearing parents, a demented Kris Kringle and a flirtatious (not to mention persistent) gay elf named Snowflake. Running in rep with The Santaland Diaries is Flashpoint’s bawdy alternative to sentimental holiday fare Chlamydia for Christmas and Herpes for Hanukkah: More Sex-Ed Burlesque for the Holidays. -J. Cooper Robb